19TH CENTURY

Details

AN AMBER AND JADEITE COURT NECKLACE, CHAO ZHU
19TH CENTURY
The necklace is composed of 107 amber beads of even dark tone spaced with three mottled white and green jadeite 'Buddha's head' beads, thirty coral beads, a double-gourd-form jadeite bead (fotouta) and mounted oval jadeite pendant from which hang three metal filigree-mounted teardrop pendants of aquamarine, amethyst and jadeite.

Provenance

Private collection, Maine, acquired in the 1940s.

Special notice

Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. As a convenience to our bidders, we have marked these lots with Y. Please be advised that a purchaser¹s inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string).

Lot Essay

The Qing court necklace was an essential part of court dress, indicating both rank and season, with different materials required for different ceremonies. The materials and form of the mandarin necklace were strictly codified in the Qing Huidian Tukao, written in the early Qing dynasty, and also in the Huangchao Liqi Tushi, compiled during Qianlong's thirtieth year (AD 1767). Linked to the Buddhist rosary, the complete necklace was composed of one hundred and eight beads separated into four sections of twenty-seven beads by larger 'Buddha's head' beads, and hung with three strings or tapes which hung down the back.

A similar amber and jadeite court necklace from the Lizzadro Collection was sold at Christie's New York, 21 March 2013, lot 892.

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